Many products are used in environments where bacteria reduction or disinfection is mission critical. As an example, products such as hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners are used regularly in hospitals, where decontamination is critically important.
In the hospital environment, hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners are carried room-to-room by doctors and nurses in the performance of their duties. Because these devices may be regularly used or carried by doctors, nurses, or other hospital staff throughout the hospital environment, these devices acquire and carry with them contaminants and pathogens, such as bacteria.
As devices such as hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners are carried throughout the hospital environment and from room to room, patients can be exposed to contaminants (e.g., bacteria) that are carried by the devices posing serious health risks. Because of the risk to patients and visitors, as well as to hospital employees, hospital staff are required to frequently clean these kinds of devices.
While traditional methods of cleansing, such as the application and use of cleaning solutions, is a somewhat effective method of reducing bacteria or other contaminants, the effectiveness of such traditional methods of disinfection is completely dependent upon the quality and thoroughness of the cleaning job that is performed by each employee that is tasked with cleaning the devices.
Therefore, a need exists for more efficient and effective methods and devices for disinfecting products, including but not limited to hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners.